There were two fascinating performances at Silverstone Sunday that showcase two great elements of Formula One. One is when a driver outperforms his or her machinery; the other is when a veteran shows the relentless doggedness and determination they showcased earlier in their careers.

On Sunday, former World Champions Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso did just that in their down on outright pace 2014-spec McLaren-Mercedes and Ferrari, respectively.

Button ran second early, ultimately passed by Lewis Hamilton in the opening laps, but consistently ran third or fourth the remainder of the race.

What followed in the closing laps was very nearly a spiritual drive as Button closed to the tune of 1-1.5 seconds per lap on the ailing Daniel Ricciardo, on older, softer tires in his quest for his elusive first British Grand Prix podium.

Yes, the tire gap had a lot to do with it but you could tell this was Button at his fighting best – a la race-winning performances of Hungary 2006 or Canada 2011 for instance – when he could have been resigned simply to bag the fourth place and not be able to reel him in. He was spurred on by the home crowd and Ricciardo reckoned if Button had had one more lap at his disposal, he would have been past.

It would have been fitting for Button to score a home podium and to pass Ricciardo to have the honor. It was Button, coincidentally, who inherited Ricciardo’s podium at Ricciardo’s home Grand Prix in Melbourne following the Red Bull driver’s disqualification for exceeding the fuel flow limit. Alas, Button has a podium this year, but wasn’t able to celebrate it. And this was a day that he drove better than in Australia, but again, came up just shy of the rostrum.

Meanwhile Alonso’s fight with Ricciardo’s Red Bull teammate, Sebastian Vettel, was amazing to watch in the moment and is likely going to enter F1 lore in the years to come.

Ace stat man Sean Kelly mentioned Alonso in the same breath as Gilles Villeneuve for Ferrari, and Ayrton Senna for 1992 in McLaren – no small comparison. Being mentioned in that regard meant that Alonso, again, simply willed a car on a day it had no business being as high up as it was.

I know I mentioned it before, but @alo_oficial scored a Gilles Villeneuve-esque 6th place today. Phenomenal drive, bravissimo.

This has been the hallmark of Alonso’s Ferrari career. He went there expecting to win more World Championships; instead, year after year, he’s had to ring the absolute hell out of a car that has traditionally been third or fourth best, at best, on the grid. This year it might not even be that high considering the engine and chassis are both down by comparison to the Mercedes power unit and the Mercedes, Red Bull and even Williams chassis.

For Button, 34, and Alonso, 33 later this month, they’re closer to the ends of their F1 careers than the beginning. Button is the most experienced driver on the grid with 250+ Grand Prix starts since 2000; Alonso only trails by a handful with 225+ since 2001. They are now F1’s old guard – despite entering the sport at age 20 and 19, respectively.

Still though, as F1 always stands on the balance of youthful exuberance versus the wisdom, sage and experience of the veterans in terms of the grid, it’s refreshing to see the old dogs still have some youthful bark.

Seeing them put on these performances at the iconic and legendary Silverstone Circuit was simply great theater that spanned generations.

Are you expecting a better than normal tax refund? Did you get a very nice bonus from your company due to the new tax cut?

Well, if you have a good chunk of change hanging around and potentially can be in Monaco on May 11, you can have a chance to bid on the 1993 McLaren-Ford MP4/8A that the late Ayrton Senna drove in — and won — that year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

We’re not just talking about any race winner. It’s also the same car Senna won his sixth Monaco Grand Prix, and the chassis bears the number six.

It’s also the same car Senna piloted to that season’s F1 championship (his third and final title before sadly being killed the next year) and is the first McLaren driven by Senna that’s ever been sold or put up for auction.

The famed Bonhams auction house is overseeing the sale of the car.

“Any Grand Prix-winning car is important, but to have the golden combination of both Senna and Monaco is a seriously rare privilege indeed,” Bonhams global head of motorsport, Mark Osborne, told The Robb Report.

“Senna and Monaco are historically intertwined, and this car represents the culmination of his achievements at the Monegasque track. This is one of the most significant Grand Prix cars ever to appear at auction, and is certainly the most significant Grand Prix car to be offered since the Fangio Mercedes-Benz W196R, which sold for a world record at auction.”

How much might you need? You might want to get a couple of friends to throw in a few bucks as well.